Budget 2018-19

  Doctor says people should remain vigilant, as the infection can “spread to the elderly” and trigger “serious symptoms” v A fresh wave of coronavirus   cases in Delhi   has “mainly affected” the young with most of the patients reporting “relatively milder symptoms”, AIIMS   director Dr Randeep Guleria told  Indian Express .People should remain vigilant, as the infection can “spread to the elderly” and trigger “serious symptoms”. If so happens then the healthcare resources would come under strain yet again, he said.. Guleria told  Indian Express  that having more containment zones within a city would be a better strategy in containing the spread as some states mulled over imposing another lockdow Delhi   has been witnessing over 1,500 daily cases over the past five days, with 995 cases reported on Wednesday. This has resulted in Delhi   getting back in the top 10 of most cases. “As of now, most of the patients who are comi...

  India on Tuesday said that it supports a regional process convened under the aegis of the United Nations for permanent peace in Afghanistan. India on Tuesday said that it supports a regional process convened under the aegis of the United Nations for permanent peace in Afghanistan. A statement by External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar at the 9th Ministerial Conference of Heart of Asia – Istanbul Process (HoA-IP) on Afghanistan in Dushanbe, said: “We support a regional process to be convened under the aegis of the United Nations. UN stewardship would help to take into account all relevant UN resolutions and improve the odds for a lasting outcome.” Pakistan has been for long involved in negotiations among the US, Taliban and Afghan government, Russia, China and Iran over Afghanistan. Though Jaishankar did not explicitly mention  Pakistan  or any other member of Asia, he was referring to the broad dialogue among all the key players in the region. The term ‘Heart of Asia’ s...

  Several health authorities in Germany said they are again suspending the use of AstraZeneca’s vaccine for residents under age 60 amid fresh reports of unusual blood clots Several health authorities in Germany announced Tuesday that they are again suspending the use of AstraZeneca’s coronavirus vaccine for residents under age 60 amid fresh reports of unusual blood clots in people who recently received the shots.Officials in Berlin, Munich and the eastern state of Brandenburg took the decision to temporarily halt vaccinations ahead of a meeting later Tuesday of representatives from Germany’s 16 states. The country’s medical regulator said it had received a total of 31 reports of rare blood clots in recent recipients of the AstraZeneca vaccine by March 29. Nine of the people died and all but two of the cases involved women aged 20 to 63, the Paul Ehrlich Institute saidGerman Chancellor Angela Merkel and her health minister, Jens Spahn, planned to hold a news conference late Tuesday ...

  An individual will be levied Rs 1,000 as a fine if the Aadhaar and PAN are not linked after March 31, 2021 According to Section 139AA in the Income Tax Act (2017), individuals have to link their Permanent Account Number (PAN) and Aadhaar numbers. The deadline is March 31, 2021. If they are not, PAN will be considered invalid to useUntil 2017, income tax could be e-filed without the PAN-Aadhaar link. Earlier, the deadline to link the both was August 31, 2017, and then kept getting postponed until the central government put a stop. Even though the I-T returns can be filed, the returns cannot be processed without the linkage. This is the eighth time in a row that the government has extended the due date for the linking of Aadhaar and PAN. Earlier to this, the deadline was June 30, 2020. As there are many people who are struggling to rectify the detail mismatch in their Aadhaar and PAN, the government kept extending the dates. Three ways to  link Aadhaar and PAN: 1: Online linki...

  People of Indian origin and Indian diaspora having overseas citizens of India (OCI) card are now not required to carry their old, expired passports for travel to India, as required earlier People of Indian origin and Indian diaspora having overseas citizens of India (OCI) card are now not required to carry their old, expired passports for travel to India, as required earlier, according to a statement. “The requirement of carrying old and new passports, along with the OCI card, has been done away with,” the Indian embassy said on its website on Monday, referring to a notification issued in this regard by the Centre, addressing one of the major concerns of overseas Indians. “Henceforth, an OCI cardholder travelling on the strength of an existing OCI card bearing old passport number is not required to carry the old passport. However, carrying the new (current) passport is mandatory,” the embassy said. According to the embassy, the Indian government has also decid...

  Maharashtra Minister and NCP leader Nawab Malik has said that the state cannot afford a lockdown and he has asked Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray to consider other options Maharashtra Minister and NCP leader Nawab Malik has said that the state cannot afford a lockdown and he has asked Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray to consider other options. “We can’t afford a lockdown. We’ve asked the CM to consider other options. Due to rising cases, he has directed the administration to prepare for a lockdown but that doesn’t mean that a lockdown is inevitable. If people follow rules, it can be avoided,” Nawab Malik told ANI. At a meeting with senior health officials and COVID task force, CM Uddhav Thackeray instructed them to prepare for restrictions similar to lockdown if people continue to violate COVID-related rules. Maharashtra Chief Minister said that the COVID cases are rising because people are not following guidelines seriously and that is why strict ste...

  Pakistan launched a five-day anti-polio vaccination drive on Monday, despite challenges by the deepening third wave of the coronavirus across the country. Pakistan launched a five-day anti-polio vaccination drive on Monday, despite challenges by the deepening third wave of the coronavirus across the country.Around 285,000 frontline workers, respecting COVID-19 safety protocols, will go door-to-door in all 156 districts across Pakistan to give polio drops, according to an official statementIt said that over 40 million children under the age of five will be given anti-polio vaccine during the campaign that aims to raise the immunity of children that remain at risk of the crippling disease. It is an absolute must that all our eligible children stay protected against vaccine preventable diseases including polioIt’s every Pakistani’s national duty to ensure that your own children, as well as those around you, are administered polio vaccine without fail, said Dr. Faisal Sultan, the Spe...

  The FTSE announcement is an acknowledgment of India’s efforts to liberalize its sovereign bond marketThe FTSE announcement is an acknowledgment of India’s efforts to liberalize its sovereign bond market FTSE Russell has placed Indian government bonds on the watchlist for possible inclusion in one of its major global debt indexes, a move that may usher billions of dollars of inflows into the securities Indian bonds will be considered for addition to the FTSE Emerging Markets Government Bond Index and their market accessibility will be reviewed for reclassification to “1” from “0,” which would put them at the minimum level needed for inclusion, the index provider said. The announcement was part of FTSE’s semi-annual country classification review released Monday. The announcement will help “ensure greater investment in debt markets and longer term, it will impose greater fiscal discipline on government finances,” said Sanjay Mathur, chief economist for Asean and India at A...

Spain’s top health official has warned the country is at risk of another spike in coronavirus infections that has already struck many parts of Europe Spain’s top health official has warned the country is at risk of another spike in coronavirus infections that has already struck many parts of Europe. We are facing a decisive moment, Health Minister Carolina Darias said after meeting with Spain’s regional health chiefs on Wednesday. We must invert this tendency. We have to intensify our efforts. Darias says the spread of the more contagious variants is pushing up infections across  Spain . A nightly curfew and other restrictions on movement had put a cap on infections until two weeks ago, when the figures started to increase. Darias made her appeal alongside Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska, who said police will be extra vigilant to enforce bans on travel between regions and unauthorized social gatherings for next week’s Easter holidays. Our goal is to save lives, says Gran...

  Bolsonaro this month began shifting rhetoric on the value of vaccines but continues to refuse restrictions on activity he paints as infringement on freedom and still promotes unproven Covid cures Mere miles from Brazil’s presidential palace, the bodies of COVID-19 victims were laid on floors of hospitals whose morgues were overflowing. Lawmakers fielded calls from panicked constituents across the country, where thousands awaited intensive care beds, and they had no effective health minister to turn to Sunday. Meanwhile, a smiling President Jair Bolsonaro met hundreds of supporters to pass out pieces of green-and-yellow cake in celebration of his 66th birthday. The mood was jubilant even as the country approached a bleak coronavirus milestone. Brazil was in political disarray as it surpassed 300,000 deaths from the virus Wednesday evening. Foes and allies alike are pleading with the president to change course to stem a recent surge of daily deaths accounting for almost one-third o...

Growth at brands like Nykaa, MyGlamm, Sugar Cosmetics and Beardo has picked up, with recovery being stronger going into 2021 Between Covid-19 winners and losers, one segment has rocketed: online beauty and personal care. While subdued in the initial months of the lockdown, growth at brands like Nykaa, MyGlamm, Sugar Cosmetics and Beardo has picked up, with recovery being stronger going into 2021. Sure, e-commerce boomed as people could not (some still cannot) visit stores, but higher sales of beauty products – which includes makeup, fragrance, wellness and personal care consumables, mostly “non-essentials” – is a curious case. Analysts say the trend has been made possible because of two reasons: higher household savings during the lockdown, and an increase in orders, particularly from women, in tier II and tier III cities. This has resulted in a blockbuster first quarter for the industry. A week back,  MyGlamm , a direct-to-consumer online brand, raised $25 million at a valuation o...

  India is, however, not officially banning Covid-19 vaccine exports. “This is a temporary move until the supply situation stabilises in the country,” said a person close to the development India has put a temporary hold on all major exports of the AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine made by Serum Institute of India (SII), the world’s biggest vaccine-maker, to meet domestic demand as infections rise, multiple sources confirmed. A person close to the development said that in the light of rising demand for Covid-19 vaccines, the health ministry has conveyed to SII that it should prioritise deliveries to the government of India over export commitments. The entire production of 60 million doses in April will be supplied to the government. India is, however, not officially banning  Covid-19 vaccine  exports. “This is a temporary move until the supply situation stabilises in the country,” said the person. Covid vaccine inventories have hit a low at places like Mumbai, and the gover...

  Biden has pledged that his $1.9 trillion rescue package would build on the promise of the Affordable Care Act, the hallmark legislation of Barack Obama’s presidency that became a law 11 years ago President Joe Biden has pledged that his USD 1.9 trillion rescue package would build on the promise of the Affordable Care Act, the hallmark legislation of Barack Obama’s presidency that became a law 11 years ago. Biden’s COVID-19 relief law pumps up “Obamacare” premium subsidies to address longstanding problems of affordability, particularly for people with middle-class incomes. More taxpayer assistance means, in effect, that consumers who buy their own policies through HealthCare.gov will pay hundreds of dollars less out of their own pockets. “We have a duty not just to protect it, but to make it better and keep becoming a nation where healthcare is a right for all, not a privilege for a few,” Biden said at the James  Cancer Hospital  in Columbus, Ohio on Tuesday. “Millions o...

  A total of 46 per cent of respondents said they are planning to move to a new location this year A Microsoft Corp survey of global workers found the majority feel they are struggling or just surviving in pandemic work conditions and a large percentage are considering leaving their employer this year. Meanwhile most business leaders polled said they are “thriving.” A total of 46 per cent of respondents said they are planning to move to a new location this year, a reflection of the greater flexibility to work from home. And 41 per cent of those surveyed said they’re mulling leaving their jobs, according to Microsoft’s Work Trend Index released Monday, which polled 30,000 people from a variety of companies in 31 countries and used trillions of data points around labour and productivity from  Microsoft ‘s 365 software and LinkedIn network. The data found burnout is widespread — 54 per cent of workers said they are overworked, 39 per cent said exhausted. But the struggles of empl...

  Support for Morrison’s government fell to a 13-month low in the latest Newspoll published March 15 Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said a staff member involved in “disgusting and sickening” behaviour in parliament has been fired, in the latest blow to his conservative government that’s already been roiled by rape allegations. The Ten Network on Monday night broadcast allegations that a group of male government staffers had shared images and videos of lewd acts for two years, including photos of one of them masturbating on the desk of a female lawmaker. “The actions of these individuals show a staggering disrespect for the people who work in Parliament, and for the ideals the Parliament is supposed to represent,”  Morrison  said in a statement. “It’s not good enough, and is totally unacceptable,” he said, adding that the staff member at the center of the allegations has been fired. He called the behaviour “disgraceful” and “absolutely shameful”. Support for Morr...

  So far, only those above 45 who had certain co-morbidities were allowed to take the vaccine after producing a letter from a registered doctor The government has decided to open up its Covid-19 vaccination drive for all above 45 years of age from April 1, and requested that all eligible people should “immediately register and get vaccinated”. The rest of the population could be considered for vaccination coverage once the current stage is over.The government has decided to open up its Covid-19 vaccination drive for all above 45 years of age from April 1, and requested that all eligible people should “immediately register and get vaccinated”. The rest of the population could be considered for vaccination coverage once the current stage is over. The government has decided to open up its  Covid-19 vaccination  drive for all above 45 years of age from April 1, and requested that all eligible people should “immediately register and get vaccinated”. The rest of the population ...

The cumulative number of COVID-19 vaccine doses administered in the country has crossed 4.72 crore with 19,65,635 doses being given on Monday, the Union Health Ministry said. The cumulative number of COVID-19 vaccine doses administered in the country has crossed 4.72 crore with 19,65,635 doses being given on Monday, the Union Health Ministry said.A total of 4,72,07,134vaccine doses have been given till 7 pm on Monday, according to a provisional report. These include 78,30,626 healthcare workers (HCWs) who have taken the first dose and 49,30,888HCWs who have taken the second dose, 81,72,121frontline workers (FLWs) who have received the first dose and 27,93,013FLWs who have taken the second dose. Besides 1,94,07,739beneficiaries aged above 60 years and 40,72,747 beneficiaries aged 45 to 60 with specific co-morbidities have been administered the first dose. “Total 19,65,635vaccine doses were given till 7 pm on Monday, the sixty-sixth day of the nationwide  COVID-19 vaccination . Out o...

  Tea workers in Assam, while demanding a wage hike, said they are unable to refill their LPG cylinders as the cost has gone out of their reach Tea workers in Assam, while demanding a wage hike, said they are unable to refill their LPG cylinders as the cost has gone out of their reach. Workers said they have been forced to cook on firewood stoves. “The government gave me an LPG cylinder and stove, but I’ve no money for a refill, that’s why I have switched to firewood stove three months back,” a tea worker told ANI. A tea worker from Jorhat said that the state government failed to deliver on the promise of increasing our daily wages from Rs 170 per day to Rs 300 per day “I couldn’t get my LPG cylinder refilled for the last year. I experience headaches after cooking on ‘Chulha’ due to its smoke. But what else can I do? I get Rs 170 per day, which the government had promised to raise to Rs 300 per day but it didn’t happen in the five years,” Seema, a tea worker from Jorhat, said. for ...

  A case has been registered against Maharashtra BJP president Chandrakant Patil and 40-50 party workers for violating guidelines during a protest demanding Home Minister Anil Deshmukh’s resignation A case has been registered against Maharashtra BJP president Chandrakant Patil and 40-50 party workers for violating COVID guidelines during a protest held in Pune on Monday demanding Home Minister Anil Deshmukh’s resignation over alleged corruption charges levelled against him. The case has been registered at Vishrambaugh Police station here. Former Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh on Saturday wrote a letter to Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray alleging that Deshmukh had indulged in “malpractices” and asked suspended API Sachin Waze to collect Rs 100 crore every month. The allegations made by Param Bir Singh came a day after Deshmukh had said that Singh was moved out as Mumbai Police Commissioner so that cases pertaining to Waze were probed without obstruction.In th...

  Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday extended birthday wishes to Union Minister Smriti Irani and recalled her noteworthy efforts to transform the textiles sector and further women’s empowerment Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday extended birthday wishes to Union Minister Smriti Irani and recalled her noteworthy efforts to transform the textiles sector and further women’s empowerment. “Birthday greetings to Union Minister @smritiirani Ji. She is making noteworthy efforts to transform the vital textiles sector and further women empowerment. May she lead a long and healthy life,” PM Modi wrote on Twitter. Union Home Minister Amit Shah also extended birthday wishes to Smriti Irani and prayed for her long and healthy life. “Warm wishes to Union Minister @smritiirani Ji on her birthday. May she continue to work relentlessly towards the development and progress of our nation. Praying for her long and healthy life,” Amit Shah tweeted Railway Minister Piyush Goyal also wished Smri...

  The world’s largest retailer is permeating the complex tapestry of the only billion-people-plus market open to it If it wasn’t for last year’s extraordinary events, there would be nothing even remotely remarkable about Jayshri Hodkar’s struggle to survive as a single mother of two on the earnings of her tailoring shop, a single machine in one room of a rented house. It’s one of those tens of millions of tiny businesses you see everywhere in India. Most are so nondescript it’s hard to imagine that together they supply the wheels on which the $2.7 trillion economy runs. Their value only became clear when the wheels came off. This week last year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a sudden, complete lockdown. And that’s when the Mahi tailoring center in Indore, a historic city of 3 million in central India, become important to one of the world’s richest men — 7,000 miles away in Seattle. With no customers coming to get blouses stitched, Hodkar came to a conclusion: Her shop coul...

  The vehicle scrapping policy is unlikely to make people junk their old vehicles for new ones in a big way, owing to insufficient incentives offered by the government for replacement, a report said The  vehicle  scrapping policy, proposed in Parliament last week, is unlikely to make people junk their old vehicles for new ones in a big way, owing to insufficient incentives offered by the government for replacement, a report said on Monday. Under the proposed policy, a scrapped vehicle will be offered a monetary value close to 4-6 per cent of the showroom value. There could even be up to 5 per cent discount on the purchase of a new vehicle if a scrap certificate is produced. In addition, it also offers a 25 per cent discount in road tax, among others. It also proposes to de-register vehicles that fail fitness tests or are unable to renew registrations after 15-20 years of use. While the scrapping policy has the right intent, we believe the incentives are insufficient to tr...

  Orchid Pharma shares were locked in the upper circuit for the 96th straight trading day Shares of  Orchid Pharma  were locked in the upper circuit for the 96th straight trading day, up 5 per cent at Rs 1,839.65 on the BSE in Friday’s session. The stock has zoomed 102 times or 10,120 per cent from the level of Rs 18 since its relisting on November 3, 2020. Currently, Orchid Pharma is trading under the T group on the BSE. In the T2T segment, each trade has to result in delivery and no intra-day netting of positions is allowed. The company has a total of 40.81 million outstanding shares, of which 98.04 per cent or 40.01 million shares are with the promoter Dhanuka Laboratories, according to the December 2020 shareholding pattern data. Dhanuka Laboratories took over the pharma company under the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) resolution process. The public shareholders held a mere 1.93 per cent holding in the firm, of which 1.19 per cent stake was with the financial in...

  Maruti Suzuki India (MSI) on Monday said it has shortlisted three new startups as part of its Mobility and Automobile Innovation Lab (MAIL) programme Maruti Suzuki  India (MSI) on Monday said it has shortlisted three new startups as part of its Mobility and Automobile Innovation Lab (MAIL) programme. With an objective to promote innovation in the mobility space, the auto major said it has shortlisted Nable IT, Redbot and Sleave as part the fourth cohort of the MAIL programme. “The startups are poised to disrupt the consumer technology world. The company’s MAIL initiative supports them by co-creating innovative business solutions,” MSI MD and CEO Kenichi Ayukawa said in a statement. The three new startups will now engage with the company for paid projects, he added. MSI had launched the MAIL initiative in partnership with GHV Accelerator in January 2019. The company said this initiative is more than just a startup accelerator as it aims to create a suitable environment to nur...